Here Today... Gone To Hell!

Acclaimed Jimi Hendrix Experience drummer Mitch Mitchell was reportedly found dead in a Portland, Oregon hotel this morning. Early reports indicate he died due to natural causes. Mitchell and bassist Noel Redding comprised Jimi Hendrix?s rhythm section from 1966 until 1969, with Mitchell joining the guitar great on all three Experience albums ? Are You Experienced?,Axis: Bold As Love and Electric Ladyland ? as well as legendary performances at the Isle of Wight and Woodstock. Mitchell also played in the Dirty Mac with John Lennon, Eric Clapton and Keith Richards for The Rolling Stones Rock & Roll Circus.

Post-Experience, Mitchell remained mostly under the radar, performing at the occasional studio session or concert before ultimately joining first the Gypsy Sun Experience and, most recently, the Experience Hendrix tour (he performed on the tour in Portland this past Friday). With the death of Hendrix in 1970 and Redding in 2003, Mitchell was the last surviving original Jimi Hendrix Experience member. Sadly, Mitchell is the second drummer associated with Hendrix to die this year: Hendrix?s Band of Gypsys bandmate Buddy Miles also passed away in February.

Daniel Kreps

http://www.rollingstone.com/rockdaily/index.php/2008/11/12/jimi-hendrix-experience-drummer-mitch-mitchell-dies/

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 :(

Rest in peace.




/jarmo

hes a legend.

and he was one awesome drummer with hendrix, especially live.

just watch footage of him.

woodstock show, not hendrixs finest hour but mitches drumming rules in that!

R.I.P

That sucks...all three members of the Experience are gone now....

RIP Mitch

I prefer to think of it as reunited.  :)

Hendrix's drummer Mitchell dies (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/7726024.stm)

Mitch Mitchell, the British drummer in the seminal 1960s band the Jimi Hendrix Experience, has been found dead in his US hotel room, authorities say.

The 61-year-old was discovered in the Benson Hotel in Portland, Oregon, in the early hours of Wednesday.

A medical examiner told Associated Press news agency the death appeared to be from natural causes but that there would be an autopsy.

Hendrix died in 1970 and the band's bassist Noel Redding died in 2003.

Mitchell, from Ealing in west London, had been touring with the Experience Hendrix Tour.

'Rock 'n' roll hero'

Janie Hendrix, chief executive of the tour and step-sister of Jimi Hendrix, paid tribute to Mitchell.

"He was a wonderful man, a brilliant musician and a true friend," she said.

He performed on Hendrix classics such as Are You Experienced? Electric Ladyland and Axis: Bold As Love.

The top session drummer also played with the likes of Eric Clapton, John Lennon, Keith Richards and Muddy Waters.

A musical pioneer, he is credited with helping to develop a "fusion" drumming style that combined rock with jazz.

He joined the Jimi Hendrix Experience in 1966 and backed the rocker for his legendary performance at Woodstock three years later.

Bob Merlis, a spokesman for the tour, said his death was "devastating".

He had seen Mitchell perform two weeks ago in Los Angeles and the drummer appeared healthy and upbeat, he said.

Blues-rock guitarist Kenny Wayne Shepherd, who is part of the tour, said Mitchell was to drums what Hendrix was to guitar.

"Today many of us have lost a dear friend, and the world has lost a rock 'n' roll hero," he said.

According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the drummer was born in 1947 in Ealing, west London.

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RIP. He was the drummer who performed 'Hey Joe' with Slash at the Jimi Hendrix induction into the UK Rock N' Roll Hall Of Fame.

thats too bad

RIP
:peace:

Cheesy but lovely.

Oh man, that's sad.

R.I.P

thats very optimistic of you :)

This really sucks. His performance at the Isle of Wright was amazing.

I was named after Mitch Mitchell... RIP.

I was almost named Derek, after Derek and the Dominos. My parents were hippies back in the day, which I'm sure many parents of you younger people were.

Again, RIP Mitch.